Turbine bucket-wheel.



., *responds in Width witht matt-mas PATENT oFFIcE. f

JAMES w1LK1NsoN,'oF raovIDENc, RHODE 1fsLAND.-`Ass1GNoR To yWILKINSONTURB-INECOMPANY, AicoRPoRArroN or ALABAMA.

-TuFualNEl BuQKET-wal Et-.1..

, ATo all' whb it mag/ 'cortcern:

' citizenof the United States, residing at Provil 1 wheels of analogous bucket-bearing elements;

'xo,and consists4 in certain novel improvements -in the construction ofv the individual bucketsl and in the manner of mounting them on their` l support.

segments of a ring) or rim, around the-inner ends of a group of provided with Iside lportions adapted to re- ,ceive the peripheryof'thc bucket support hor;y

:wheel betweenthemand to be rigidly secured '-thereto by any suitable .positive locking ing the base wit a'longtudinal groove infits inn'erface. Also the'buc et-support istapered inwardly-from'its outer-per'phery,whc cor- -When the base has 'been s periphery, the positivelocking means may be Aapp 'ed'so 'as to draw togetherthe sideporl Itions so' that-the p grip the wedge-,shaped` joint is produced ofgreat j j l slightly beyond the sideedges of the buckets,

l-so as to provide anfouter sectional band of vgreater Widththan the buckets. These rim, and a dovetai l strength and rigidity.

A further-object of myvinventionis to `pro- -vide a novel form-of bucket having awid'e backward-projectingcover- 4late, which is curved in ai manner to over ap the adjacent bucket and serves both to space-the, buckets,

I and to form a closure to prevent the-leakage of steam between the buckets :The buckets are also providedvat their inner end-s with in'- tcgral distance-pieces or latelswhichfare n'ar- 'row in Widthand embe dec'l'in the cast segment tovlurther increase the vstren th' ofthe' joint. These platesenable thebuc ets to be ,I v.. readily positioned for the cast-jointing tothe 5o se ments.'

" y invention further comprises the details-'i of construction and arrangement of parts dis- -closed Which-.'-

` y A. Specification.. of Letters Patent. y i Application ma 'April 11, 1903.rv 'serial Np, 311,140.

uckets, soas to vcast-,joint \2o Fthe base'andbuckets together... The base is.

roove in the base.v pped astrid'e the j the accompanying drawings, 'in

Patented neel 2s, 190e.'`

portion 'of a wheel-rim having bucket-seg-v ments connected thereto. `view ofthe bucket-segment, a ybucket-wheel rim being shown in verticalfsection.

. ment ofy uckets-mounted thereon, someof Fig; '2l -is a front f Figurell represents a side' elevation of 'ai 55 4 Fig. 3; is a top lan view' of the wheel with a segthe buckets' being shown lin horizontal section. Fig- 4 is a sectional view along the line :tgcof Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is abottom view of theV ybuckets shown in Fig.- 4. Fig. 6 illustrates the manner of cast-lock jointing thebuckets l. v. 'f-.to the base or ringsegments. One object of my invention is to simplify 15 the manner of securing theseindivldual buckets 1 tothe Wheel or sup ort. Thisll do 'by castingbases, which may ein the form of' A Ilhave illustrated my invention as applied to'- Ea turbine bucket-wheel, though it is equally a'pplic'ableto 'any'other form of*4 bucket or J vane support..r As shown, the wheel-web v1 is'provided with a wedge-shaped periphery'2,yvhichl provided with a pluralit of :transverse boltv Qrrivetg openings' 3. he

buckets 4 are,concave-convex in shapeandA `sytrelea'ch provided at'their inner ends with a .narrowl backwardrejecting distance piece or. sp'acingplate 5, aving. its backward edge adjacent bucket which it engages. I These distance-.pienes -areshown integral with ythe fvbucket, "which is preferable in .my lpresent construction. At the outer ends of the buckets providey v arcuate cover-plates 6,'

. c'ur-ved to'conformwit'h the contour of the A lwhich project backwardV 'of vthe buckets.'

These `cover-plates are also formed -,ir'itegralvv with'v theibucketsand,` as shown,4 extend plates form 4curved'band-sections ofcqual widthvrom-front-to rear, .their side ed es being cut parallel with the plane of revo u-'- tion of the wheel'. The width of the. plates being the distance it is desired that the buck- -ets should be placed, these plates furnisha followirig'manner: A segmental row of bucketsis disposed in a sand core 8 in proper relative position for mounting on the wheel.

This sand core, which is preferably baked,

permits the innerends of the buckets to project inwardly therefrom, as seen in F ig. 6, and leaves the distance-pieces exposed and also two or'more apertures or openings 9 for the l=purpose hereinafter described. This core vis, then set in a iask 10 filled with sand, which a mold-cavity 11 is formed for the casting of a` segmental bucket-base.. The

' exposed bucket ends are disposed in this tice.V A gate 13 is provided, and throu h mold-cavity so that the bucket-coore forms an outer peripheral wall therefor. `A sand core 12 is also inserted in this cavity centrally thereof and opposite to the bucket ends. This core extends to a point adjacent to said bucket ends and is of equal transverse width. It will be noted, however, that the upper and lower side Walls of the mold-cavity diverge so that itis of greater width at its inner end than ata point oppositevthe bucket ends.

'lhis is desirable, but not essential. The` mold is formed from sand in any ordinary manner, and the two cores S and 12 are inserted therein after the usual molding praci :this the molten metal is poured to formt e bucket-base. The metal in forming the base l Hows around the exposed ends ofthe buckets and the distance-pieces, which become embedded 0r rooted therein, and it also iows through the openings 9, forming a positive lock cast-joint between the buckets and base.

When completed, the base has the form shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2, the channel or groove formed by the core 12 leaving integral parallel side walls 14- and 15, which increase inthickness toward their inner free edges. 'The normal opening for the groove in the base is just sui'licient to permit the latter-to be slipped over the wed ed periphery .2- of the wheel-disk. After t is has been y done the bucket-segment is connected to the disk by means of bolts or rivets 1 6, which pass through openings provided in the attaching portions 141 and 15 and adapted to register with the openings 3 in the periphery 2. During the riveting operation the side portions 14 and 15 are bent or drawn inwardly, so that they clamp Aagainst and under the tapering sides of the periphery 2, in

" riphery, after which they may be held securel y in 'engagement therewith by some positive locking means.

It' will be noted that the bases are squared 'and t-he wing-tips of the back bucket.

i at their abutting edges and that these edges come opposite the rear wall of the rear bufllret us construction permits any one of the bucketsegments to be removed and replaced without disturbing the other segments.

By embed ing the narrow spacer-plates 5 in the bucket-base the strength 'of the cast joint is increased. The concave headand base spacer piece enable the holding or gripping of the buckets during process of corernakingto be quickly, accurately, and easily one.

An illustrative embodiment of my invention having thus been-described, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination, a bucket-support, buckets, bases jointed to groups of said buckets and adapted to -straddle said support, and means to lock said bases to said support.

2. In combination, a bucket-support, buckets, bucket-bases cast around the inner ends of groups of buckets andv provided with inwardly-projecting portions adapted to receive said support between them, and devices `to connect said portions to said sup-` port.

3. In combination, a bucket-support, buckets, bucket-bases cast around the inner ends' of groups of buckets and provided vwith inwardly-projecting ortions adapted to rcceive said support between them and to be brought into engagement therewith, and means to lock said portions in engagement with 'said support.

4. A turbine bucket-wheel comprising a web having an enlarged periphery, a rim-segment adapted to be slipped astride said periphery and by bending to engage therewith, means to connect said segments to the rim and retain them theirbent position, and a groupof buckets connected to each segment.

5. A turbine bucket-.wheel com rising a .web having a periphery wedge-s aped in cross-section, a plurality of bucket-supporting elements adapted to be slipped over said periphery and to make a dovetail joint therewith by bending into engagement with the tapering side thereof, and means to connect said elements to said periphery, substantially as described. 4

6. A bucket-wheel comprising an annular wheel-Web, buckets, and rim-segments cast around the inner ends of groups of said buckets and around 'a core which provides said segments with attaching side ortions, said segments being mounted astri c the periphcry of said web and connected thereto by bolts or rivets passing through the `said web and said attaching portions, substantially as described;

7., A bucket-wheel comprising a plurality of buckets which are cast-jointed in groups to separato supports, said supports having a TOO IIO

' ery of the'wheel, an engaging portion or porl vment, substantially as descri .tion'saround said per1phery,vsaid. supports vbeing adapted to enga e said portionl or portions, and means to loc said parte in engage.-

' 8. Avturbine bucket-wheel comprising a web having a peripheral gripping portion, a

pluralityof castrim-segments astride' said .web andin enga ement with said portion,

means to hold sai arts in' engagement, and

',a segmental -row 4o buckets havin integral spacing-plates at their inner ends w 'ch have I having lnarrow lintegra f been embedded in said segments to which `said bucketsare cast-jointed.I i

\ 9,L In combination, a plurality of buckets s acing-plates at their innerv ends, anda buc {et-'support cast around the inner ends of said buckets so as. to

inclose said spacingfplates.

10. Incombination, a plurality of bucketsl having a narrow spacir` 1gplate and' one or more apertures at their inner ends, andl a j bucket-support cast around the inner aper- 25 turedfends of said buckets so as toinc ose said spacing-plate.

11.15A. turbine bucket-wheel comprising a j lurali'ty-of buckets having concavo-convex' each end with curved ed es, bases castjointed to the inner ends an spacing projections'of said buckets, and means to connect said bases .to said wheel, substantially as described. n

12. A turbine-bucket having an inte al arcuate rearwardly-projecting cover-p ate with side edges which extend beyond the-'side edges of the bucket and are parallel to a plane of revolution of the bucket.

13. A turbine-bucket having a concavoconvex body, and integral substantiall parallel spacing projections at each end, the inner projectionv being narrower than the bucket and the outer rojection bein wider and ,adapted to over ap the side e ges of the corresponding projection on an-adjacent bucket. r

my handdn presence vof two subscribingvwitnesses. ov g JAMES WILKINSON. Witnesses: l

l JAMES H. NoLAN, `THOMAS SHEPARD.

odies and integralspacing projections at` lIn testimony whereof I have hereunto set 

